How To Use AI For Research: A High School Student's Guide

How To Use AI For Research: A High School Student's Guide

As a high school student in 2025, you're at the perfect moment to embrace AI as a powerful research tool.

• Unlike traditional search engines, such as Google or Bing, AI research assistants can understand complex questions and synthesize information.
• They can help you develop ideas in ways that weren't possible just a few years ago.

Canva generated this picture of a student writing a paper on his laptop.

In this article, I will share with you some of the strategies I have learned about using AI tools in my writing over the past two years.

• I will help you learn how to harness the tremendous capabilities of AI tools effectively.
• I'll also address the issue of academic integrity.
• Finally, I would ask any parents and teachers who have read this far to share this article with some young people and discuss some of my strategies with them.

Getting Started with AI Research Tools

The first thing to understand about AI research tools is that they function differently from search engines like Google and Bing, with which you're familiar.

• Instead of providing links to websites, they generate direct answers by analyzing vast amounts of information.
• As a result, you can ask questions, give commands in natural language, and receive comprehensive responses tailored to your needs.
• It's similar to having a live research assistant working for you.
• Moreover, AI tools are available 24/7, are always responsive, and quickly adapt themselves to your style of research and writing.
• Furthermore, they save your work so that you can review previous answers whenever you wish to.

This video shows you some ways to use AAI for research.

Popular AI Research Tools for Students

I write for four websites: Boarding School Review, Private School Review, Public School Review, and Community College Review. I also curate the social media for these four sites. I couldn't have done this without the help of the AI tools listed below.

I began using ChatGPT when it first came out. Using it taught me to write effective prompts. It also taught me to evaluate its answers critically.

• I now use Perplexity (Sonar) for all my writing.
• I have experimented with Claude and Gemini.
• I have used Grammarly since 2015 and cannot imagine writing without it.
• Canva creates engaging social media reels.
• InVideo generates three to five-minute videos from the scripts I provide.

These are the AI tools with which I am familiar.

• Perplexity AI: Combines search capabilities with AI-generated answers
• ChatGPT: Offers conversational responses to research questions
• Claude: Excels at understanding complex academic concepts
• CoPilot: Microsoft's AI tool, which they tout as "Your Companion."
• Gemini: Integrate AI capabilities with traditional search
• Grammarly: AI-powered writing assistant
• Canva: AI-powered graphic design for social media
• InVideo AI: AI-powered video creationplatform

The AI Sandwich Framework

There are many approaches to using AI tools. Here's one example. The concept makes sense. Moxie Learn's AI Sandwich Framework provides an excellent structure for using AI in your research process1:

• Human Layer (Bottom Slice): You start with your own research question or thesis.
• AI Layer (Middle): Use AI to gather information, explore perspectives, and analyze data.
• Human Layer (Top Slice): Critically evaluate the AI's output and incorporate it into your own thinking.

This approach ensures you remain in control of your research while leveraging AI's capabilities to enhance your work. I use a version of this approach when I write articles for Private School Review. For example, for this article, I wrote a prompt or command for this article as follows:

"I want this to be a "How to" for high school students. My goal is to introduce them to the idea of using AI as a replacement for Google and Bing in their research. They will have to use AI in their university studies and careers. I want them to have a taste of the possibilities AI offers. So, yes, please expand."

Perplexity answered:

"The article would cover key aspects including:

1. Introduction to AI tools for research
2. The "AI Sandwich Framework" mentioned by Moxie Learn
3. Ethical guidelines from institutions like Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press
4. Step-by-step implementation guides
5. Best practices for different research stages
6. Practical examples relevant to high school students

The outline provides an excellent foundation, highlighting resources from reputable sources like the University of Michigan's MIDAS team, Georgetown University Library, and various publishing houses that have developed AI usage guidelines."

The most important advice I can give you is to check and double-check the answers your AI tool gives you. Do this for the following reasons:

• When you don't refine your prompt, the AI tool can make up some very realistic-sounding answers that are actually false.
• Always trust your instincts.

Some of the commands I've learned to give Perplexity at least once a week were:

• Avoid jargon.
• Use my Voice.
• Write concisely.
• Format your answer using headings and bullets.

This video explains how to use AI frameworks.

Ethical Guidelines for Using AI in School Research

Academic institutions have established clear guidelines for ethical AI use in research. Here are key principles adapted from Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press standards:

• Transparency: Always disclose when and how you've used AI in your work
• Verification: Check AI-generated information against reliable sources
• Attribution: Cite sources properly, even when AI helps identify them
• Originality: Use AI to support your thinking, not replace it

Remember that your teachers want to see your analysis and critical thinking, not AI-generated content.

Step-by-Step Implementation Guide

1. Define Your Research Question

• Start by clearly articulating what you want to investigate.
• Be specific and focused.

Prompt example: Instead of asking "Tell me about climate change," try "What are the most effective carbon capture technologies being developed for urban environments?"

2. Initial Information Gathering

Use AI to build background knowledge on your topic:

• Ask for explanations of key concepts
• Request summaries of different perspectives
• Identify major debates or controversies in the field

Prompt example: "I'm researching carbon capture technologies for a high school environmental science project. Can you explain the basic approaches and identify which ones are considered most promising for urban implementation?"

3. Source Identification

AI can help you find relevant sources, but you should evaluate them yourself:

• Ask for recommended academic sources
• Request information about key researchers or organizations
• Use AI to suggest search terms for library databases

Prompt example: "What are 5 reliable academic sources about direct air capture technology published in the last two years? For each source, explain why it would be valuable for my research."

4. Analysis and Synthesis

Once you've gathered information, AI can help you analyze it:

• Compare different perspectives
• Identify patterns or connections
• Generate questions for deeper investigation

Prompt example: "Based on the information about carbon capture technologies, what are the main trade-offs between efficiency, cost, and scalability? How might these factors influence which technologies are adopted in cities?"

5. Drafting and Revision

AI can assist with the writing process:

• Help organize your ideas into a logical structure
• Suggest ways to strengthen your arguments
• Identify gaps in your reasoning

Prompt example: "I've organized my paper on carbon capture technologies with these main sections: [list sections]. Does this structure make sense? Are there any important aspects I'm missing?"

Before AI, I would have to go to Google many times simply to build an outline. AI produces answers in seconds; however, as I have pointed out above, do your own due diligence, especially if you are working in a niche or specialty area. You know more than the AI tool in most cases.

Best Practices for Different Research Stages

Literature Review

• Use AI to identify key concepts and terminology
• Ask for summaries of important papers or books
• Request explanations of complex ideas in simpler terms

Data Analysis

• Have AI explain statistical concepts relevant to your research
• Ask for help interpreting graphs or data visualizations
• Use AI to suggest ways to present your findings effectively

Critical Thinking

• Ask AI to present multiple perspectives on controversial topics
• Request counterarguments to test the strength of your thesis
• Use AI to identify potential biases in your approach

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

Over-reliance: Don't let AI do all your thinking. Use it as a tool, not a replacement for your own expertise and critical analysis.

Fact-checking: AI can make mistakes or present outdated information. Always verify important facts with reliable sources.

Plagiarism concerns: Using AI-generated content without proper attribution or critical engagement can constitute academic dishonesty.

Saving your work: If you don't save your work in spaces or pages in your AI tool, you'll end up with the digital equivalent of a desk piled high with papers.

The Future of AI in Academic Research

As you move toward university-level studies and your career, AI research tools will become increasingly integrated into academic and workplace workflows. Learning to use these tools effectively now will give you valuable skills for the future, where the ability to collaborate with AI will be as important as traditional research methods. Not having AI-related experience on your resume will make you less competitive in the job market.

By following the suggestions, strategies, and guidelines in this article, you'll be well-positioned to harness the power of AI while maintaining the critical thinking and intellectual curiosity that are the true hallmarks of excellent research.

Questions? Contact us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. @privateschoolreview

#AIResearch #StudentTech #DigitalLiteracy #AcademicSuccess #AIforStudents #ResearchSkills #HighSchoolHacks #FutureReady

Editor's note: This article was assisted by AI tools, specifically Perplexity (Sonar), which provided suggestions and ideas during the research phase.